Engelbert Humperdinck RELEASE HIM!

What music are you currently grooving to? A playlist of different eras and artists. Recently I DJ’d on Sirius XM’s Beatles channel, so there’s been a lot of Beatles, who I love – Let It Be, Long And Winding Road, Penny Lane. I don’t have time to sit and listen much, so I’ll watch The Voice and hear recent stuff. Bruno Mars, he’s one of my favourite singers – I met him when he was five!

What, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favourite album? The Nat King Cole Story, there’s a great album. I’m a ballad singer and I learned a lot from him. I recorded a lot of those songs too, but if you’re going to steal, steal from the best!

What was the first record you ever bought? And where did you buy it?

It was Nat King Cole again, When I Fall In Love. It was for my girlfriend, who is now my wife. At the same time I bought her a wind-up record player, on hire purchase. It was from Kingston’s in Leicester, quite a long time ago. Which musician, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be? Nobody in particular, but I suppose I’d have liked the DNA of Quincy Jones, McCartney, Michael Jackson, Elton John, John Lennon… When I was young I played the saxophone. I tried to emulate Earl Bostic, who was great, an amazing sound and a very unusual embouchure, that cracked reed sound. I still like him.

What do you sing in the shower? Whatever new songs I’m putting in my show. There are no distractions and water is calming. I’ll warm up by yodelling.

What is your favourite Saturday night record? Anything by The Supremes – I happen to know Diana [Ross] And classic country music – Willie Nelson, Eddie Arnold, Jim Reeves, Glen Campbell.

And your Sunday morning record? Anything big band era. Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman. Those arrangements, they just don’t haptoday. pen I’ll make myself a chilli omelette with onions, listen and relax.